DIA and MHRA announce speaker line-up for inaugural global summit

Senior leaders from some of the world's foremost regulatory authorities, pharmaceutical companies, health technology organisations, academic institutions and patient groups will come together in London this November as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Drug Information Association (DIA) host the inaugural DIA-MHRA Global Summit.

Representatives from organisations including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Swissmedic, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), HM Government, Microsoft, GSK, AstraZeneca, IQVIA, BioNTech, NICE, HDRS, LifeArc and Duchenne UK will join discussions on how greater global collaboration can help accelerate safe, effective and innovative healthcare for patients.

Held on 16 and 17 November 2026 alongside a significant programme of activity throughout London Life Sciences Week, the Summit will provide a unique international forum for regulators, industry leaders, academics, investors, technology innovators and patient representatives to explore how healthcare systems can work together to support innovation while maintaining public trust and patient safety.

Under the theme "Global Collaboration for Safer and Smarter Health Innovation", the programme will address some of the most significant opportunities and challenges facing healthcare today, including regulatory innovation, advanced therapies, artificial intelligence, health data, patient access, rare diseases, investment in life sciences and international regulatory cooperation.

The programme features leading voices from across the life sciences ecosystem, reflecting the breadth of expertise needed to shape the future of health innovation.

From the pharmaceutical industry, speakers include Sir Jonathan Symonds (GSK), Dr Cindy Verst (IQVIA), Dr Edward Piper (AstraZeneca) and Dr Virginia Acha (MSD) together with major trade association voices from Dan O'Connor (ABPI) and Chris Molloy (BIA).

International regulatory leaders participating in the programme include Professor Tony Lawler (Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australia), Dr Sara Ibrahimi (US Food and Drug Administration), H.E. Dr Hisham S. Aljadhey (Saudi Food and Drug Authority), Pamela Aung-Thin (Health Canada), Vincenza Trivigno (Swissmedic) and Adj Prof (Dr) Raymond Chua, (Health Sciences Authority, Singapore) together with top executive representatives from the MHRA.

Patient perspectives will be central to discussions throughout the Summit, with contributions from Julia Vitarello (Mila's Miracle Foundation), Professor David Fajgenbaum (Every Cure), Emily Reuben OBE (Duchenne UK), Nick Meade (Genetic Alliance UK), John Crowley (BIO) and patient advocate Silvia Cerolini.

Sessions focused on digital transformation, in silico trials and real world data will feature experts including Professor Michael von Forstner (MedGenie), Dr Umang Patel (Microsoft), Ricardo Baptista Leite (HealthAI), Seema Verma (Oracle Health), Professor Alastair Denniston (University of Birmingham), Dr Mel Ivarsson (HDRS) and Professor Piet van der Graaf (Certara).

The Summit will also bring together pioneering academic researchers and biotech leaders including Professor Fyodor Urnov (University of California, Berkeley), Sir Martin Landray (Oxford Population Health), Kevin Lee (Bicycle Therapeutics), Dr Sam Barrell (LifeArc) and Dr Jim Wilson (GemmaBio).

Investment and growth across the life sciences sector will be explored by leading investors and policy experts, including Dame Kate Bingham (SV Health Investors), Chris Hollowood (Syncona Investment Management), Chris Bischoff (General Catalyst), Dr Sahirzeeshan Ali (Modi Ventures), Fidah Alsagoff, Flagship Pioneering and Lord Willetts, Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from an exceptional line-up of global leaders alongside dedicated networking sessions, while also gaining early insight into a series of significant MHRA announcements that will set out the Agency's ambitions for world-leading regulatory science and innovation.

Tickets are on sale now. Register to attend here